Apparatus for removing soldering flux from radiator cores



H. TRURAN APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SOLDERING FLUX FROM RADIATOR CORES Original Filed Jan. 2, 1947 Oct. 9, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet l fur/sui or" 1956 ,G. H. TRURAN 2,765,761

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SOLDERING FLUX FROM RADIATOR CORES Original Filed Jan. 2, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 m Maw Get. 9. 1956 G. H. TRURAN 2,765,761

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SOLDERING FLUX FROM RADIATOR CORES Original Filed Jan. 2, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ]Zo Z! 6] 125 r 47 3 A 7 5' I V I 9, 1955 G. H. TRURAN 2,75,761

APPARATUS FOR REMING SOLDERING FLUX FROM RADIATOR CORES Original Filed Jan. 2, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 G. H. TRURAN S FOR REMOVING SOLDERING Oct. 9. 1956 APPARATU FLUX FROM RADIATOR CORES 7 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Jan. 2, 194

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. r MH NE United States @atent G APPARATUS FDR REMOVING SOLDERMG FLUX FROM RADIATOR CORES George H. Truran, La Porte, Ind., assignor to Modine Manufacturing Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Original application January 2, 1947, Serial No. 719,765. Divided and this application July 31, 1951, Serial No. 239,911

8 Claims. (Cl. 113-59) The invention relates generally to the manufacture of radiator cores and similar articles, which consist of a multiplicity of thin walled metal tubes, having a multiplicity of spaced metal fins attached thereto and more particularly to an apparatus for removing excess soldering flux from said cores preparatory to bonding the fins to the tubes. This application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 719,765 filed January 2, 1947, now U. S. Patent 2,626,417 granted January 27, 1953, for Apparatus for Removing Soldering Flux from Radiator Cores.

In the manufacture of radiator cores, as more at length defined in Patent No. 2,154,104, to H. S. Munch et 211., issued April 11, 1939, prior to the assembly of the tubes and fins, the tubes are thoroughly tinned with solder, the fins having apertures to snugly receive the tubes, so that the peripheral edges of the apertures lie in close contact with the outer Walls of the tubes. The securement between the fins to the tubes is effected by first dipping the core into an acid bath to provide a flux which enables the solder to adhere to the untinned fins, and then the entire core subjected to a heat treatment at a sufficiently high temperature to melt the solder on the tubes and cause it to run into the adjacent portion of the fins. The above referred to patent discloses a structure by means of which these functions may be accomplished.

The present invention is directed to the removal of excess soldering flux from the core subsequent to the clipping thereof into the fiux bath, and has among its objects the production of a device which will efliciently remove the excess flux both from between the tubes and on the fins of the core, thus resulting in a considerable saving in flux, as well as reducing the heating period required for bonding.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a device which is automatic in its operation, so that it may be readily employed in combination with automatically operated apparatus for performing the several operations on the core.

Thus the present invention contemplates the production 'of an apparatus which is completely automatic in its operation from the time the unsoldered core is positio'ned on the machine to the time it is removed therefrom as a soldered assembly.

Other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts;

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the present invention, in conjunction with a dipping tank, a portion of the oven and conveying mechanism employed;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

2,765,7fil Patented Get. 9, 1956 Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on the iine 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, with the core shown in tilted position subsequent to dipping in the flux bath;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the relationship of the various elements of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, and details of the conveying mechanism; and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatical illustration of the hydraulic and electrical system of control of the apparatus.

'The present invention is utilized in conjunction with core-baking ovens, similar to that disclosed in the above patent, and a dipping tank similar to that shown in said patent, and claimed in Divisional Patent No. 2,229,184, issued January 21, 1941.

in the above patented apparatus, the core is dipped in the fiux, and upon its removal therefrom occupies a tilted position to permit excess flux to drain from the tubes, following which it is dropped to a horizontal position.

The present invention provides means for efiiciently blowing the excess ilux from the tubeswhile the core is in such a tilted position, and subsequently blowing excess flux from the fins after the corehas been dropped into a horizontal position by the use; of air under pressure, these functions being performed automatically in coniu-nction with mechanism for moving thecore over the dip tank into the oven following the fluxing operation, it will be apparent that any excess flux on the core must be evaporated off in the heating oven, and consequently lost. The use of the present invention has resulted in an average saving of twenty gallons of flux in an ei ht hour period of operation, with an average reduction in the baking or heating period of seven seconds per core.

The dip tank shaped tank 3, open at its top, supported by a frame 4,

which also supports the table 1, the frame 4 in turn being supported by suitable base structure, indicated. by the numeral 5. Positioned above the tank 3 is a dipping structure indicated generally by the numeral 6, comprising a carrier 7, supported at opposite sides by a pair of yokes 8, mounted at their upper ends on sliding rods 9, the latter each being axially slidable in respective pairs of guides 11 and 12, rigidly carried by the supporting structure 5. The rods 9 are rigidly connected to a crossmember 13, positioned below the tank 3, the cross-member 13 being operatively connected through the rod 14 to the piston of a hydraulic cylinder indicated generally by the numeral 15, the upper end of the cylinder 15 being illustrated as connected to a cross-member 16, rigidly secured to the supporting structure 5. Thus the movement of the piston in the hydraulic cylinder 15 will raise and lower the carrier '7 into or out of the dip tank 3.

Pivotally secured at 17 to the carrier 7, is a core supporting frame or tray 18, the carrier 7 having a stop member 19, engageable with the frame 18 for normally supporting the same in a horizontal position. It will be apparent that as the pivotal connection 17, between the carrier 7 and the frame 18, is offset from the center of the frame, the Weight of the frame 18-and core C will maintain the frame in a horizontal position. Pivotally carriedby the frame 4 is a latch. member, indicated generallyby the numeral 21, having a downwardly depending portion 22 extending into the dip tank 3, the portion 22 having a shoulder 23 thereon adapted to engage a lug 24 on the frame 18 as the latter is being elevated from the tank. The opposite end 25 of the lat-ch member 21 is sufficiently weighted to constantly urge the portion 22 in engagement with the lug. Thus the frame 18 will remain horizontal during its descent into th tank 3, but as the carrier 7 moves upwardly the lug 24 will engage the shoulder 23 on the latch member 22, continued upward movement of the carrier 7 resulting in tilting of the frame 18 and core C to the position illustrated in Fig. 4.

It will be apparent that by rotating the latch member 2.1 out of engagement with the lug 24, gravity will cause the fram 18 and core C to resume a horizontal position.

Tube blow-ofi mechanism The mechanism for blowing surplus flux out of the tubes of the core C, comprises a blow-otf pipe 31, carried by a vertically extending arm 32, supported by rollers 33 movable along a pair of horizontal track members 34, the arm 32 being positioned between the members 34. The latter are supported at one end by a suitable standard 35, and at the opposite end by a standard indicated generally by the numeral 36.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the blow-off pipe 31 is positioned adjacent the end of the core C when the latter is in tilted position, movement of the arm 32 along the track members 34 carrying the pipe 31 across the open ends of the core C. The pipe 31 is provided with a series of apertures 37, through which air .under pressure may be discharged along the adjacent end of the core into the tubes thereof, the lower end of the pipe being closed and the upper end connected by a hose 38 to an air supply line 39. The arm 32 is connected by means of a connecting rod 42, to the piston of an air cylinder 41 rigidly supported by suitable means from the table 1. Thus by admitting air to one end of the cylinder 41, the arm 32 will travel horizontally in one direction along the track 34, and when air is admitted to the opposite end of the cylinder, the arm 32 will return to its original position.

The core conveying mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 47, the latter being rotatably mounted on the cross-members 46, and provided with lugs 48, engageable with respective crossmembers 49 carried by the rods 43. Thus movement of the rods 43 in a direction towards the oven will cause engagement of the respective dogs 47 with a core positioned over the dip tank 3 or on the table 1, lugs 48 and cross-members 49 maintaining the dogs 47 in coreengaging position, so that further movement of the rods 43 will result in the respective cores being pushed to the next station.

However, as the dogs 47 are free to rotate in the opposite direction, that is, clockwise, as looking at the same in Fig. 1, return movement of the rods 43 in a.

'direction away from the oven 10 will result in no movement of the cores at the respective stations, as the dogs 47, upon engagement with a core, will rotate upwardly and pass over any such core.

Fin blow-ofi mechanism Also carried by the pusher rods 43 is a blow-off pipe 51, extending horizontally across the device and positioned above the plane of the top surface of the core C .when the latter is in a horizontal position over the dip 4 tank 3. The pipe 51 is provided with a plurality of outlets 52 along the bottom thereof, and is connected to a source of air through a pipe 53 rigidly carried by the rods 43 and hose 54, the free end of the pipe 53 being supported by an arm 55 secured to the cross-member 44. Thus air under pressure may be supplied through the hose 54 to the blow-off pipe 51 as the push rods move away from the oven 10, whereby air is directed on the fins of a dipped cor as the pipe 51 passes over the same.

The oven 10, which may be of similar construction to that illustrated in Patent No. 2,154,104, is provided with a door 61 for closing the inlet to the oven, the door 61 being rigidly connected to a rod 62 journaled in support members 63, so that the door may be opened by rotating the rod 62; rotation of the rod being accomplished through a hydraulic cylinder diagrammatically shown in Fig. 7, or other means. Rigidly connected to the rod 62 is a lever 64, operatively connected through links 65 and 66 to an arm 67, rigidly carried by a rotatable shaft 68, supported by the frame 4. The opposite end of the shaft 68 is rigidly connected to a trip arm 69 positioned below the portion 25 of the latch member 21. Thus, when the door 61 is open, such movement will cause the trip arm 69 to be rotated upwardly and engage the portion 25 of the latch member 21, thereby rotating the depending portion 22 out of engagement with the lug 24 on the core carrying frame 18, thus permitting the latter to assume the horizontal position.

The sequence of operation of the mechanism so far described, is as follows:

A core is placed on the table 1 and moved by the pusher rods 43 onto the frame 18 of the dipping mech anism. The tray and core are then immersed in the flux and immediately raised therefrom, the core assuming a tilted position, as illustrated in Fig. 4 when completely elevated. Air is then admitted to the air cylinder 41 to move the pipe 31 across the core, and returned to the position illustrated in Fig. 1. As soon as the tube 31 starts to travel, it is connected to air under pressure, so that air is blown across the ends of the core tube, the air being disconnected when the tube returns to its starting position.

Assuming a core has been positioned in the oven for heating during this operation, upon completion of the heating period, the door 61 is opened, which in turn releases the latch member 21, permitting the core frame 18 and core C to assume a horizontal position. Pusher rods 43 are then actuated in a direction away from the oven, at the same time air being admitted to the fin blow-off pipe 51, so that air is blown across the core fins as the pipe 51 moves across the same. Movement of the pusher rods 43 continues until they reach the end of their return travel, at which point the air is shut ofi to the pipe 51, and the movement of the pusher rods reversed. Dogs 47 having passed over the core on the tray 18 and the core on the table 1, upon forward or loading movement of the pusher rods 43 pick up the respective cores moving the core on the tray 18 into the oven, and the core on the table 1 onto the tray 18, simultaneously a similar dog may remove the heated core from the oven 10. As the pusher rods 43 cease traveling, the door 61 closes, the closing of the door initiating the timing action for the core being heated in the oven and the actuation of the core dipping mechanism to immerse the core then positioned on the tray 18, thus starting another cycle of operation.

Control mechanism Fig. 7 is a diagrammatical illustration of the electrical and hydraulic mechanism employed for performing the sequence of operations above described. The pusher rods 43 are actuated by a hydraulic cylinder 71, having a cylinder on the dip tank is controlled by a two-way spring biased hydraulic valve 76, actuated by a solenoid winding 77, and in like manner the air cylinder 41 is controlled through a spring biased two-way valve 78, actuated by a solenoid winding 79. The door opening and closing mechanism may be actuated by any suitable means as, for example, a hydraulic cylinder 81, having a piston 82 operatively connected to a slidable member 83, the latter being connected by suitable linkage 84 to a lever 85, rigidly connected to the rod 62, which carries the door 61. The piston 82 is controlled by a twoway hydraulic valve 86, actuated by solenoid windings 87 and 88. The winding 87, whichmoves the valve 86 in position to move the piston 82 and member 83 to the right, looking at it as in Fig. 7, thereby closing the door 61, is actuated by a normally open switch 89, adapted to be closed by a stop 91, carried by the pusher rods 43. The stop 91 instantaneously closesthe switch 89 when the rods 43 have substantially reached the end of their travel towards the oven 10, and a spring biased stop 92, carried by the member 83, instantaneously closes switch 93 as the door 61 is closed, thus setting a timer 94' in operation, the latter being set for any desired heating period. At the same time the switch 93 closes, a spring biased stop 95, also carried by the member 83, instantaneously closes a switch 96, thereby energizing relay 97, which is provided with one set of locking-in contacts 98, and a second set of contacts 99, which closes the circuit to the solenoid 77 of the dip tank, solenoid 77 being connected in closed series with a normally closed switch 101. Actuation of the solenoid. 77 actuates the valve 76 to admit fluid into the top of the cylinder 15 of the dip tank, thereby forcingithe' piston 15 downward to lower the tray 18 and core into the liquidflux.

As illustrated in Fig. 3', the switch 101 is mounted on the cross-member 16, and adapted to be opened by a lug 102, carried by the cross-member 13. Thus as the tray 18 reaches the end of its downward travel, the lug 102 opens the switch 1131, thereby breaking the circuit to the solenoid 77 and de-energizing the relay 97. The valve 76, through action of the bias spring, then returns to its normal position, illustrated in Fig. 7, whereby fluid is' admitted to the bottom of the cylinder 15, returning the piston 15 and the core-carrying tray 18 to its elevated position, the core being tilted, as previously described, as it reaches the end of its upward movement. As the tray reaches the end of its upward movement, a spring biased stop member 103, carried by one of the yokes 8, instantaneously closes a switch 104 to actuate a relay 105 connected to the power line through a normally closed switch 106. The relay 105 is provided with a pair of lock-in contacts 107 and a second pair of contacts 108 which, upon actuation of the relay, closes the circuit to the solenoid winding 79, thus actuating the valve 78, whereby air is admitted to the right end of the cylinder 41.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 7, the arm 32 engages the switch arm 109 of a normally closed switch 109, which is connected in series with a magnetic air valve 111 to the power line. Switch 109 is held open by the arm 32 when the latter is in its normal position, illustrated in Fig. l, and, as the arm 32 and pipe 31 are moved across the end of the core, due to air pressure at the right end of the air cylinder 41, switch 109 immediately closes upon disengagement of the arm 32 therewith, thus actuating valve 111 and connecting pipe 31 with an air supply A. The arm continues its movement until it strikes the actuating arm 106 of the switch 106, thereby opening the latter and de-energizing the relay 105, which in turn de-energizes the Winding solenoid 79'to reverse the spring biased valve 73 and the air pressure on the piston 41 to return the arm 32 to its starting position. As the latter reaches such starting position, illustrated in Fig. 1, it again engages the arm 109. of the switch 6 109 to open the'la'tter' and shut off the supply of air to the pipe 31.

The apparatus now remains stationary while the core in the oven is being heated. After a predetermined period of time, the timer 94 closes a normally opened switch 112 to actuate the solenoid winding 88, thereby reversing the flow of fluid in the cylinder 81, and moving themember 83 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 7, thus opening the door 61. At the same time a spring biased stop member 113, carried by the member 83, closes a normally open switch which is in series with a solenoid winding and the power line. Actuation of the winding 75 reverses the hydraulic valve 73 to admit fluid into the left end of the cylinder 71, thereby moving the push rods 43 to the right, oraway from the oven 10. As the push rods 43 begin this return movement, a spring biased stop member' 115 closes a normally open switch 116, thereby energizing the winding 117 of the double acting relay, indicated generally by the numeral 118, thus closing the pairs of contacts 119 and 121, thereby actuating a magnetic air valve 122 to admit air into the fin blow-off pipe 51. Thus as the'pipe'sl moves across the core resting on the tray 18, air from the pipe 51 will remove any excess fiux on the core fins and outer surfaces of the tubes. As the push rods 43 near the end of their return travel, the stop 115 closes a normally open switch 123, which actuates the winding 124 of the relay 118 to open the contacts 119 and 121, thus shutting off the air supply to the pipe 51. As the push rods reach the end of their return travel, stop 125 carried thereby, closes a normally open switch 126, thereby'energizing' the solenoid winding 74 to reverse the valve 73' and fiuid into the cylinder 72, whereby the pusher rods 43" will immediately begin to move towards the oven 10, the dog'sv simultaneously encountering the core on the tray 18 and the core on the table 1, to move the same into the oven and onto the tray 18 respectively. As the pusher rods reach the end of said loading movement, the stop 91, carried thereby, closes the switch 89, thereby again actuating the solenoid winding S7 to move the member 83 and close the door 61, such movement of the member 83 instantaneously closing the switches 93 and 96 to initiate a new cycle of operation.

At the same time that the dogs 47 load cores into the oven and onto the tray 18, if desired, a similar dog 41 may push the heated core from the oven through a door similar to the door 61, also actuated by the member 83, and out of the oven, or other mechanism may be employed to accomplish these functions. Likewise, if desired, a squaring mechanism, similar to that illustrated in Patent No. 2,154,104, more specifically shown in claim in divisional Patent No. 2,185,381, dated January 2, 1940, may be employed, in which case the pusher rods 43' may in their loading stroke simultaneously remove a core from the squaring mechanism to an unloading table, as well as move a heated core from the oven into the squaring mechanism.

The details of the various hydraulic and air actuated mechanisms, as well as the details of the particular electrical switches employed, form no part of the present invention, and obviously other various types of mechanical means may be employed to open and close the door 61.

It will be apparent from the above disclosure that I have produced a novel means for ethciently removing surplus flux from both radiator core fins and tubes, in which the operation thereof is accomplished automatically during the operation of the machine, thereby resulting in a saving in time and fluxing material.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses 75 mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus adapted for applying a liquid flux to a radiator core, certain parts thereof being tinned, prior to making the core, comprising a tank adapted to contain a liquid flux, a dipping mechanism for dipping articles into the liquid flux and lifting them therefrom, including a carrier movable in a defined vertical path, a supporting frame upon which the articles rest pivotally mounted on the carrier and balanced so as to normally assume a horizontal position, releasable latch means operable upon said pivoted frame to tilt the same out of its normal horizontal position as it is elevated above the liquid flux, a controlling mechanism adapted for controlling the apparatus in a predetermined cycle, and a blow-off pipe adapted to be connected to a source of air under pressure, positioned adjacent the raised edge of said supporting frame when the latter is in a titlted position and movable in a direction parallel to said edge in a predetermined cycle controlled by said controlling mechanism for discharging air on adjacent portions of an article resting on said frame whereby the excess liquid flux is removed from the radiator core. I 2. An apparatus adapted for applying a liquid to an article, removing the excess liquid and baking the article, comprising an oven having a door therein, a tank positioned adjacent said door and adapted to contain a liquid to be applied to the article, a clipping mechanism for dipping the article into the liquid within the tank and lifting it therefrom, including a carrier movable in a defined vertical path, power means for lowering and raising said carrier, a supporting frame upon which the article rests pivotally mounted on the carrier and balanced so as to normally assume a horizontal position, and releasable latch means operable upon said pivoted frame to tilt the same out of its normal horizontal position as it is elevated above the liquid and further operable to return the frame to its horizontal position, a controlling mechanism adapted for controlling the apparatus in a predetermined cycle, reciprocable conveyor means positioned above said frame and extending into said oven for moving articles to said frame and from the latter into said oven and operable in a predetermined cycle by said control mechanism, power means for reciprocating said conveyor means when said door to the oven is opened, time controlled means for opening said door operatively connected to said control mechanism for the apparatus, means operatively connecting said door and said latch member adapted to release the latter when said door is opened and permit said frame to resume a horizontal position, and a blow-off h pipe adapted to be connected to an air supply under pressure and operatively controlled by said control mechanism, carried by said conveyor means, said pipe being positioned above and extending substantially parallel to said frame when the latter is in a horizontal position and movable thereacross during reciprocation of said conveyor means in a predetermined cycle controlled by said control mechanism, for discharging air on the top surface of the article resting on said frame whereby the excess liquid is removed from the article, and said control mechanism including means for disconnecting said blowoff pipe from its air supply when said pipe is not being moved relative to such article.

3. An apparatus adapted for applying a liquid to an article, removing the excess liquid and baking the article, 7 comprising an oven having a door therein, a tank posiit tioned adjacent said door and adapted to contain a liquid to be applied to the article, a dipping mechanism for dipping the article into the liquid within the tank and lifting it therefrom, including a carrier movable in a defined vertical path, power means for lowering and raising said carrier, a supporting frame upon which the article rests pivotally mounted on the carrier and balanced so as to normally assume a horizontal position, and releasable latch means operable upon said pivoted frame to tilt the same out of its normal horizontal position as it is elevated above the liquid and operable to return the frame to its horizontal position, a controlling mechanism adapted for controlling the apparatus in a predetermined cycle, reciprocable conveyor means positioned above said frame and extending into said oven for moving articles to said frame and from the latter into said oven and operable in a predetermined cycle by said control mechanism, power means for reciprocating said conveyor means when said door is opened, time controlled means for opening said door operatively connected to said control mechanism for the apparatus, means operatively connecting said door and said latch member adapted to release the latter when said door is opened and permit said frame to resume a horizontal position, a blow-off pipe adapted to be connected to an air supply under pressure and operatively controlled by said control mechanism, positioned adjacent the raised edge of said supporting frame when the latter is in a tilted position and reciprocably movable in a direction parallel to said edge for discharging air on adjacent portions of an article resting on said frame for removing the excess liquid, means for'reciprocating said pipe in a predetermined cycle controlled by said control mechanism when said frame is in a tilted position, and said control mechanism including means for disconnecting said blow-off pipe from its air supply when said pipe is not being reciprocated.

4. An apparatus adapted for applying a liquid to an article, removing the excess liquid and baking the article, comprising an oven having a door therein, a tank positioned adjacent said door and adapted to contain a liquid to be applied to the article, a dipping mechanism for dipping the article into the liquid and lifting it therefrom, including a carrier movable in a defined vertical path, power means for lowering and raising said carrier, a supporting frame upon which the article rests pivotally mounted on the carrier and balanced so as to normally assume a horizontal position, and releasable latch means operable upon said pivoted frame to tilt the same out of its normal horizontal position as it is elevated above the liquid, a control mechanism for controlling the apparatus in a predetermined cycle, reciprocable conveyor means positioned above said frame and extending into said oven for moving the articles to said frame and from the latter into said oven and operable in a predetermined cycle by said control mechanism, power means for reciprocating said conveyor means when said door is opened, time controlled means,

for opening said door operatively connected to said control mechanism for the apparatus, means operatively connecting said door and said latch member adapted to release the latter when said door is opened and permit said frame to resume a horizontal position, a blow-off pipe adapted to be connected to source of air under pressure and operatively controlled by said control mechanism, positioned adjacent the raised edge of said supporting frame when the latter is in a tilted position and reciprocably movable in a direction parallel to said edge for discharging air on adjacent portions of an article resting on said frame for removing the excess liquid, means for reciprocating said pipe when said frame is in a tilted position in a predetermined cycle controlled by said control mechanism, and a second blow-off pipe adapted to be connected to a source of air under pressure and operatively controlled by said control mechanism, carried by said means, said second pipe being positioned above and extending substantially parallel to said frame when the latter is in a horizontal position and movable thereacross during reciprocation of said conveyor means, for discharging air on the top surface of an article resting on said frame, and said control mechanism including means for disconnecting said blow-off pipes from their air supply when said pipes are not being reciprocated.

5. The combination with a dipping mechanism for dipping an article into a liquid and lifting it therefrom, said dipping mechanism adapted to tilt the article in a portion of the cycle of the dipping mechanism and to retain the article in a horizontal position for another portion of the cycle of the clipping mechanism, of blow-off means adapted to remove excess liquid and operatively connected to the dipping mechanism and adapted to move across the face of the article in the tilted position thereof, and control mechanism operatively connected to the dipping mechanism and the blow-off means for operatively timing the sequence of the cycle of the dipping mechanism for dipping and that of the blow-ofl' means for blowing off the excess fluid.

6. The combination with a dipping mechanism for dipping an article into a liquid and lifting it therefrom, said article being substantially prismoidal in shape, said dipping mechanisms adapted to tilt the article in a portion of the cycle of the dipping mechanism and to return the article in a horizontal position for another portion of the cycle of the dipping mechanism, of blow-off means adapted to remove excess fluid from the dipped article and operatively connected to the dipping mechanism, said blow-off means comprising substantially vertically mounted blow-off means adapted to move relatively with respect to an edge face of the article in the tilted position thereof to direct a fluid against the article in its inclined position to remove a portion of the excess liquid, and another blow-oif means substantially horizontally mounted and adapted to direct a fluid downwardly against a horizontal face of the article as the horizontally mounted blow-off means and the article are moved relatively horizontally with respect to each other to remove additionally excess fluid from the clipping operation.

7. The combination with a dipping mechanism for dipping an article into a liquid and lifting it therefrom to position it into a tilted position and later in a horizontal position in the cycle of the dipping mechanism and an oven for receiving the dipped article, said article being substantially prismoidal in shape, of conveyor means adapted to move the article from its horizontal position at the dipping station and including means for transporting the article from the dipping mechanism into the oven, controlling mechanism adapted for controlling the dipping mechanism and conveyor means in a predetermined cycle blow-off means operatively controlled by said controlling mechanism and connected to the conveyor means, said blow-01f means substantially horizontally mounted and adapted to direct a fluid downwardly against a horizontal face of the article to remove excess liquid from the article as the blow-off means passes above the article on the return stroke of the conveyor means from conveying an article after the excess liquid has been removed into the oven from the dipping station and moving another article in position on the dipping mechanism prior to the initiation of the clipping cycle controlled by said controlling means.

8. Apparatus adapted for applying a liquid to an article including a series of longitudinally extending tubular members and members extending transversely thereto, comprising a tank adapted to contain a liquid, a dipping mechanism for dipping articles into the liquid and lifting them therefrom, including a carrier movable in a defined vertical path, a supporting frame upon which the article rests pivotally mounted on the carrier and balanced so as to normally assume a horizontal position, releasable latch means operable upon said pivoted frame to titlt the same out of its normal horizontal position as it is elevated above the liquid and further operable to return the frame to its horizontal position, a blow-off mechanism for removing the excess liquid from the article being dipped, a control mechanism adapted for sequentially controlling the elements of the blow-oif mechanism and the dipping mechanism of the apparatus in a predetermined cycle, said blow-off mechanism comprising a blow-off pipe adapted to be connected to a source of air under pressure, positioned adjacent the raised edge of said supporting frame when the latter is in a tilted position and movable in a predetermined cycle, upon initiation by the aforesaid control mechanism in a direction parallel to said edge for discharging air on adjacent portions of the article res-ting on said tilted frame for removing the excess liquid from the tubular members of the article in its tilted position, and a second blow-off pipe, adapted to be connected to a source of air under pressure, horizontally positioned above said frame and movable thereacross when said frame is in a horizontal position upon actuation of the releasable latch means to return the supporting frame to its horizontal position from its' tilted position after completion of the cycle of the first-mentioned blow-off pipe for discharging air on the top surface of the article resting on said frame, whereby the excess liquid is removed from the exterior of the tubular members and the members extending transversely thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 993,743 Wright May 30, 1911 1,904,391 Solie Apr. 18, 1933 1,978,555 Snow Oct. 30, 1934 1,984,771 Speller Dec. 18, 1934 2,109,855 Arey Mar. 1, 1938 2,154,104 Munch Apr. 11, 1939 2,225,946 Arey Dec. 24, 1940 2,229,184 Munch Ian. 21, 1941 2,376,099 Swarz May 15, 1945 

